Portland Yacht Services, Inc.

Testimonials

Portland Yacht Services — Choosing the Right Boatyard for a Major Refit
I am a Master Mariner and what is euphemistically called today a professional fleet manager. Used to be called an Admiral and as part of the job I arrange for up to 200 vessels of all types to be docked and refitted very two and four years — I also have a yacht which needed a refit. You would think that selecting a boatyard for the yacht would be simple if you are in my profession? No, it's probably worse because I am more aware of the pitfalls!

My key selection criteria are firstly the number and range of skills employed full time and then an assessment of those staff, particularly the team leaders and the yard owner/manager. The only way to do this is to meet with as many of them as you can. Ideally this is done whilst you are going through your work list and are able to pull in the various trades as necessary to discuss the work. With regard to the owner/manager I look for recommendations from my blue water sailing colleagues.

Equally important in terms of the staff make up in the yard is their individual sailing experience. I want people working on my boat that have been out on the ocean and understand how critical their work will be to my safety and well being in an ocean crossing. (My yacht will be crossing the Atlantic shortly).

After a long search and a recommendation from a colleague who is a CCA member and circumnavigated in his yacht I plumbed for Portland Yacht Services. The owner Manager, Phin Sprague is also a CCA member and has more blue water miles under his belt than most. All of the team leaders have extensive deep sea experience under sail and all the key skills are in house as fulltime employees, including electronics, mechanical, GRP and coatings, riggers and carpentry. They are also wonderful characters and as a bonus you get a senior USCG trained engineer who (unusually or an engineer) is also not a bad boat handler, a professional jazz pianist, a qualified light aircraft pilot examiner and a top quality carpenter who is also an apiarist in his spare time.

Having completed a major refit including re-instrument, engine and gearbox rebuild, rewiring and re plumbing most of the yacht as well as soda blasting the hull back to basics and recoating, I have not been disappointed either in the skills, quality of work or the yards similarity to a high maintenance wife. Equally their ability to come up with practical solutions to seemingly intractable problems has been very impressive.

Not only a very professional and competent yard but also great fun to work with and that's also important. It's a people business and that really what it's all about!

John H Bowering
Yacht Osprey



	Marina Storage Calculator Rates & Contracts Sales Power Boats Sail Boats Trailers Motors Services Testimonials Projects Parts About Crew Giving Back to the Community Marine Learning Center News & Events Contact Careers Portland Yacht Services 58 Fore Street Portland, ME 04101 207-774-1067	Testimonials *Portland Yacht Services — Choosing the Right Boatyard for a Major Refit* I am a Master Mariner and what is euphemistically called today a professional fleet manager. Used to be called an Admiral and as part of the job I arrange for up to 200 vessels of all types to be docked and refitted very two and four years — I also have a yacht which needed a refit. You would think that selecting a boatyard for the yacht would be simple if you are in my profession? No, it's probably worse because I am more aware of the pitfalls! My key selection criteria are firstly the number and range of skills employed full time and then an assessment of those staff, particularly the team leaders and the yard owner/manager. The only way to do this is to meet with as many of them as you can. Ideally this is done whilst you are going through your work list and are able to pull in the various trades as necessary to discuss the work. With regard to the owner/manager I look for recommendations from my blue water sailing colleagues. Equally important in terms of the staff make up in the yard is their individual sailing experience. I want people working on my boat that have been out on the ocean and understand how critical their work will be to my safety and well being in an ocean crossing. (My yacht will be crossing the Atlantic shortly). After a long search and a recommendation from a colleague who is a CCA member and circumnavigated in his yacht I plumbed for Portland Yacht Services. The owner Manager, Phin Sprague is also a CCA member and has more blue water miles under his belt than most. All of the team leaders have extensive deep sea experience under sail and all the key skills are in house as fulltime employees, including electronics, mechanical, GRP and coatings, riggers and carpentry. They are also wonderful characters and as a bonus you get a senior USCG trained engineer who (unusually or an engineer) is also not a bad boat handler, a professional jazz pianist, a qualified light aircraft pilot examiner and a top quality carpenter who is also an apiarist in his spare time. Having completed a major refit including re-instrument, engine and gearbox rebuild, rewiring and re plumbing most of the yacht as well as soda blasting the hull back to basics and recoating, I have not been disappointed either in the skills, quality of work or the yards similarity to a high maintenance wife. Equally their ability to come up with practical solutions to seemingly intractable problems has been very impressive. Not only a very professional and competent yard but also great fun to work with and that's also important. It's a people business and that really what it's all about! John H Bowering Yacht Osprey
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